So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
You are a getaway car, a rush of blood to the head
But me, I'm just the covers on top of your bed
You steer in a rear-view mirror, make my head swim
I'll keep you warm and won't ask you where you've been
With your backless black dress soaked to the skin
When it's said and done, they're all scrambling
And we're friends, we're friends
Just because we move units
Strike us like matches 'cause everyone deserves the flames
We only do it for the scars and stories, not the fame
At least everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame
Such a shame
The sounds of this small town make my ears hurt (make my ears hurt)
Oh yeah, you caught me, but I caught you one worse
They say, "You want a war? You've got a war"
But who are you fighting for?
The tide's out, the ship's run aground
We drown traitors in shallow water
With your backless black dress soaked to the skin
When it's said and done, they're all scrambling
And we're friends, we're friends
Just because we move units
Strike us like matches 'cause everyone deserves the flames
We only do it for the scars and stories, not the fame
At least everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame
Such a shame
Everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames, but it's such a shame
Such a shame
Strike us like matches 'cause everyone deserves the flames
We only do it for the scars and stories, not the fame
At least everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame
But me, I'm just the covers on top of your bed
You steer in a rear-view mirror, make my head swim
I'll keep you warm and won't ask you where you've been
With your backless black dress soaked to the skin
When it's said and done, they're all scrambling
And we're friends, we're friends
Just because we move units
Strike us like matches 'cause everyone deserves the flames
We only do it for the scars and stories, not the fame
At least everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame
Such a shame
The sounds of this small town make my ears hurt (make my ears hurt)
Oh yeah, you caught me, but I caught you one worse
They say, "You want a war? You've got a war"
But who are you fighting for?
The tide's out, the ship's run aground
We drown traitors in shallow water
With your backless black dress soaked to the skin
When it's said and done, they're all scrambling
And we're friends, we're friends
Just because we move units
Strike us like matches 'cause everyone deserves the flames
We only do it for the scars and stories, not the fame
At least everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame
Such a shame
Everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames, but it's such a shame
Such a shame
Strike us like matches 'cause everyone deserves the flames
We only do it for the scars and stories, not the fame
At least everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame
Lyrics submitted by BrandNew1208, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Champagne for My Real Friends, Real Pain for My Sham Friends Lyrics as written by Joseph Mark Trohman Andrew John Hurley
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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Okay, this has nothing to do with the song, because the album came out before a lot of this information, but part of this song makes me think of the US government.
"Oh yeah, you caught me, but I caught you one worse," is like the election process, where the candidates try to take the media's attention off of their mistakes and force it on the other.
"They say, "You want a war, you got a war." But you are you fighting for?" is that the war in Iraq is for the sake of having a war.
"We drown traitors in shallow water." is...well, waterboarding.
I know this is NOT the meaning of this song, it just randomly came to me.